Day 57:Galingen, Germany to Tagerwilen, Switzerland: Switzerland Reconsidered

July 15, 2012

At our camp with the vines on one side and the Rhein on the other, we listened to bells from two churches in the picturesque old town. on the Swiss side of the river. This beautiful spot is, to say the least, not at all like the part of Basel where we first entered Switzerland.

Today Switzerland showed us a face straight out of the postcards, and it was entrancing. We set off along the north side of the Rhine, in Germany, but soon the Swiss border did a dipsy doodle and we were magically in Switzerland again. We passed through fields of corn and barley, with views of green hills.

We entered villages of houses with elaborate half-timbered decoration, with flowers everywhere, and everything clean and neat. It looked like.. Switzerland.

Our idea had been just to touch at the Bodensee (Lake Konstanz). Dodie’s Dad, we thought, had been here as a young man, and we wanted to retrace just a bit of that heritage. Our map showed the bikeway past Stein am Rhein (where the Rhine emerges from the Lake), and then on north to the Danube, which we would pick up at Tutlingen.

Stein am Rhein had been dismissed, at least as a camping spot, by the fellow we talked to yesterday. Part of what was “wrong” with it was that it was in Switzerland. People on the German side of the border (the few we have talked to about it) look on Switzerland with a bit of distain. It’s expensive, crowded, and besides the Swiss are using their strong currency to snap up real estate in Germany.

So when we got to Stein am Rhein, we followed the bikeway (German route 2) to sweep around it. At one point Dodie said, “Hey, look at that gate to a city, or something – take a photo!” “Hmm, I replied, maybe it’s just a hotel entrance, oh well, “film” is cheap”. On the other side of town, we noted some Chinese guys taking photos (a good indicator of something interesting) and Dodie said “It’s the city centre, want to take a look?”. “OK, I replied, I’ll invest 5 minutes in Switzerland”.

Within 200 feet we could see that this was not just a city centre, this was a treasure. From the City Hall at the head of the main street, through a square and on down was a series of buildings with Renaissance and before murals painted on their facades. The oldest are about 1000 years old. They are in great condition, having been restored repeatedly over the centuries.

What a wonderland! What idiots we feel for not knowing where we were (until we knew). What a dope was the one who said to Dodie when we first passed the entrance “Yeah, whatever”.

In addition to the buildings, the old town featured not one but three bakery cafes! We chose the first one, of course, and found the pastries to be absolutely first rate. So here we were in Switzerland, sitting at tables in a 1000 year old square, eating fresh pastries and hot chocolate. Yes!

Down the street was a shop with a total selection of the real Swiss chocolate, (and Toblerone too). We extended our research to that shop as well.

Our other find was a good map of the immediate area. We could see the bike routes all around the sections of the Lake, plus ferry and catamaran routes criss crossing. Result? Rapid planning to extend our stay in Switzerland!

In the end we decided to just go to Konstanz town, and then indeed to head north toward the Danau. But for now, here we are in Switzerland. We are being serenaded by cow bells and I am typing this at a restaurant table (at our camping spot) where we have just finished our Schnitzel. We are the only customers in the restaurant and at the camping. So much for crowded. Our Schnitzel and “pommes” (fries) was about 10 Euros each. Not bad. The camping spot is 12 Euros, has great facilities including a covered table for us. So much for expensive.

The owners and ten neighbours are sitting at a big table, just visiting and drinking beer and wine. They have been there with a slightly rotating cast of characters for four hours. None speaks English. However our hostess (and chef) speaks a little French. Good enough!

So that’s our story. Now we love Switzerland. I have a Stein am Rhein decal on my pannier!

Have a look now to see what I have been talking about. Don’t forget to read the captions.